The Methacton School District held a grand opening Sunday for the new Skyview Upper Elementary School, which is attached to Arcola Intermediate School. District School and Community Information Coordinator Angela Linch says it represents a total reconfiguration of the grades.

“We have kindergarten through grade 4 now at our elementary schools. Previously the fifth graders were there, and now they’ve been moved to Skyview. Arcola Intermediate School had served grades 6, 7 and 8, and now it will serve grades 7 and 8 and the advantage to that is two things primarily. One, we were running out of space at our elementary schools. We had speech and language instruction taking place in hallways, and this way we’re able to open those buildings up and suitably serve the K through four student population.”

She says it also gives fifth and sixth graders a better educational environment.

“I think we really believe philosophically that fifth graders are more like sixth graders than they are like fourth graders, and sixth graders are more like fifth graders than they are like seventh graders, so you’re putting together the populations that, curriculum-wise, are best suited to learning together. The curriculum can be more challenging than it is at a traditional elementary school.”

Linch says Skyview Upper Elementary School has eased overcrowding at the other schools, and she believes it’s probably the last new building they will put up for a few years.